PBS To Air Interview With Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad will defend himself against
accusations of chemical weapons usage Monday evening, with an
exclusive interview set to air on PBS' "The Charlie Rose
Show," reports Politico.

Rose gave a preview of the content on CBS's "Face The Nation"
Sunday, telling Bob Schieffer that Assad "denied that he had
anything to do with the attack" and "he denied that he knew in
fact, that there was a chemical attack."

"He said there was not evidence yet to make a conclusive
judgement," Rose added.

The White House discounted Assad's denial to Rose that he used
chemical weapons. While the Obama administration has not
presented evidence showing that Assad directly ordered the
strike, the White House maintains that only the Assad regime had
the wherewithal to conduct such an operation and that ultimately
Assad is responsible.

"It doesn't surprise us that someone who would kill thousands of
his own people, including hundreds of children with poison gas,
would also lie about it," said National Security Council
spokesman Bernadette Meehan.

When asked about Syria's chemical-weapons stockpiles,
Assad told Rose that he would not "confirm or deny that we do
have them" but if in fact they did, "they are in
centralized control and no one else has access to them."

He will also talk about his preparations and fears of a U.S.
military strike, as well as talking about his father.

Talks of U.S.-led intervention into the more than 2-year-old
civil war have heightened after an alleged chemical weapons
attack on Aug. 21 in a Damascus suburb. The Obama administration
has said more
than 1,400 people died, many of them children.